Noteworthy wins for Home Of The Brave at Haydock Park and Anamba at Naas, were the Godolphin highlights in Europe at the weekend, while the eye-catching victory of Ghisoni at Doomben gave promise of even better to come at the Brisbane Winter Carnival in Australia.
Noteworthy wins for Home Of The Brave at Haydock Park and Anamba at Naas, were the Godolphin highlights in Europe at the weekend, while the eye-catching victory of Ghisoni at Doomben gave promise of even better to come at the Brisbane Winter Carnival in Australia.
As a prelude to the Investec Derby Festival at Epsom in the UK, and Royal Ascot soon after, it was another timely confidence boost.
The Hugo Palmer-trained Home Of The Brave was purchased for campaigning overseas in the second half of the season, and the strength and determination he displayed in winning the G3 Timeform Jury Stakes, fending off all challengers, augurs well for achieving that objective.
John Ferguson, Godolphin's chief executive and racing manager, said: "I will discuss the programme with Hugo, but if Home Of The Brave is to be running in those big races abroad, in America and Hong Kong at the back end of the season, he should be having a break soon.
"Then there are races such as the G2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood to consider as a launching pad to big targets later on. He is a talented young horse and we are delighted he has been able to win on his first start for Godolphin," Ferguson added.
Anamba is set to build on her tall home reputation following a decisive win, on only her third outing, in the Listed Owenstown Stud Stakes at Naas, Ireland, on Sunday. She came from an unpromising position two furlongs out to land the prize impressively.
She holds an entry for the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, and trainer Michael Halford believes she will acquit herself very well.
"We didn't run her in the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas because of the (soft) going, but she has appreciated the (good) ground here. Hopefully, she will have conditions to suit her at Ascot," Halford said.
Trainer John O'Shea thinks the world of the brilliant Godolphin-owned filly Ghisoni, who made it four wins from six starts in the G3 Glenlogan Park Stakes at Doomben on Saturday, but he will not rush into any decision on running her against the older horses in the G1 Stradbroke on June 11.
In fact, looking to opportunities (against her own sex) later in the carnival, he may choose to keep the filly for the G2 Dane Ripper Stakes on June 11 or the G1 Tattersall's Tiara on June 25.
"She's very, very good, and there will be plenty of big races she can run in," the trainer said.
